Hey,
I've been interested in kiteboarding for some time but never made the plunge. I think I have finally come to the point where I am ready to take the first steps. I will be booking in a lesson in the new year, any recommendations for Northern Gold Coast area?
In the meantime though, I would like to know what size kite generally gets used for a 95kg male considering local conditions? As far I can tell from various threads I should be looking at a 12-13m kite?
I can either buy a trainer kite to practice flying, or get a used full setup and learn to fly the kite using shorter lines? I would like to minimize lesson time by studying as much about the sport as I can, as well as learning the basics of flying, and then do the lesson after where mistakes can be corrected.
This brings me to another question regarding used setups. Some guys are advertising for reasonable prices, with minimal usage, but the model is from 2010 (Naish Cult 12m), for example. How old is considered to old? Would you consider purchasing a newer model kite (2015 Liquidforce Envy), but it has some repair work done (professionally)?
Any advice appreciated.
Welcome Dom - great sport but fair warning, it is pretty addictive
12m is probably what you would want 90 per cent of the time on the GC, @ 75kg I run a 10m with a surfboard most of the time
Variety and condition of used gear is pretty huge, older than 2012 theres a good chance of some leakage, good repairs though are basically as good as new.
You couldn't go wrong dropping into surffx and having a chat to the crew there about lessons and kit, maybe lessons and then think about kit, trainers can be dangerous as well
have a squid at kitebud.com, there is a fair bit to learn to be safe
Don't listen to people who tell you you need the newest gear, I bought post 2007 gear and I am doing fine. (I had a 2008 cab and a 2010 airush) I look like everyone else on the water and I have a few extra grand in my pocket.
if you are almost 100kg you are gonna struggle on a 12m in around 15knt winds unless you are riding a surfboard. Go bigger, at least then you can some airs (I have only had about 10-15 sessions ever and am starting to do airs).
2007 gear? Jesus.
I would say since 2013/2014 there isn't that much difference anymore but comparing even a 2011 kite to a 2014 kite there is a HUGE difference. Do yourself the favour and don't buy an old kite.
Select to expand quoteKit3kat said..
2007 gear? Jesus.
I would say since 2013/2014 there isn't that much difference anymore but comparing even a 2011 kite to a 2014 kite there is a HUGE difference. Do yourself the favour and don't buy an old kite.
Well you gotta think, people were kitesurfing in 2010 were they not? They were doing it quite well, were they not?
If you are a beginner and you just want to test out the waters, then buy a cheap kite... if you fall in love with it then that justifies you spending the extra dough... you don't want to be like the guy I saw yesterday with a 2015 cabrinha trying to do a noob launch and getting the thing completely ripped in the tree.
Just look on gumtree at least mate, come on.
Hey Dom
I weigh 96kg and i purchased a 12m Cabrinha switchblade as my first kite which got me out on the water in wind 18 knots and above. Basically if there wasnt green arrows i didnt bother going out. In hindsight i could have used a 13m kite comfortably and used more depower should the winds pick up. I found with my 12m that when the wind was around 20 knots i still had to sine the kite to keep my speed up so edging upwind (or at least attempting to) was very difficult. Its a lot easier to edge when the kite is fully powered and you can park it at 10pm.
The only time i used a trainer kite was on my 1st lesson. Dont see the point in getting one tbh, but maybe someone more experienced can weigh in with their opinion. I would highly recommend buying the Progession Beginner DVD before and watching it through before having your first lesson. Like everyone else says it is a great learning resource and you can get the basic terminology down pat just watching the DVD so that when you have your 1st lesson everything isnt new and overwhelming. Its also good just to go over things before you go out for a session.
For equipment, i purchased everything 2nd hand except for the harness because you really need to feel comfortable with those trying on lots of different ones in shops to best fit you. I was recommended to buy a kite no older than 5 years old because pre-dating 2010 some of the technical aspects of kites in particular werent as good as the newer kites, or as safe. Plus youre more likely to have a general wear and tear issue occur with a kite older than 5 years, and the last thing you want to do in the initial stages of learning is having to go to a repair shop for whatever reason.
I bought a couple of cheap old kites after my classes and lived to regret it. They flew nothing like the kites I had lesson with (struggled to stay upwind, did not struggle when swapped the kite with a friend), leaked air, parts were fryed due to age/use/overuse, got damaged easily (fabric tears easily, depower line broke) – replacement parts not easy to get. Spent over $200 fixing old piece of crap and ended up with old piece of crap with some new parts in it – also wasted few sessions waiting for repairs or finishing early due to problems with gear.
Agree that 2013 is as old kite as you want – they are dated a year in advance, so 2013 kite was made in 2012, 4 years old. After 2-3 classes you should have a good feel if you want to stick with it or it is not for you. If you want to stick with it, buy good second hand gear and keep it (I would buy a good new harness – spend couple of hours in the store trying different ones and buy the one that feels the most comfortable regardless of price – well worth the extra $100-150 bucks - if it is the expensive one that fits best).
Swavek has hit the nail on the head here. I know this because I see it again and again every year. So many people setting them self up for failure and missing out on valuable water time. Certainly look at used gear but not old used gear.
I would suggest not looking at any gear full stop until you have had a lesson. At least then you will have a better idea of what you might want in equipment based on your hands on experience.
^^^ agreed, have a lesson first then talk to kiters a similar size to you about gear at your local.
If you want to save some cash buy a secondhand 2015/16 kite in near New condition or new last year's model on sale.
Dont buy an old kite, for the sake of saving a few dollars & also don't rush to get up riding on the board. Just get the kite flying skills up to a point that you are confident & not going to kill yourself or anyone else.
Good advice I was given, was to not even get a board until you have the kite skills.
Thanks for all the responses guys!
I will definitely be booking lessons before purchasing anything. I will also be avoiding trainer kites as most people seem to agree on this.
Thing is though, how can I practice flying the kite without a trainer or some used gear? I'm getting some time off work, so I will have plenty of time to practice between lessons, I just need something to practice with.
Select to expand quoteDominus said...
Thanks for all the responses guys!
I will definitely be booking lessons before purchasing anything. I will also be avoiding trainer kites as most people seem to agree on this.
Thing is though, how can I practice flying the kite without a trainer or some used gear? I'm getting some time off work, so I will have plenty of time to practice between lessons, I just need something to practice with.
Practice comes after the lessons.
The lessons just teach you how not to die.
Then all the fun and hard yards begin
After two lessons you should be able to buy your own gear and practice body dragging in the water. You can have your two lessons with one day break for info to sink in so in three days you are ready to buy your own gear. There is plenty of second hand equipment, should not be hard to buy it in 2-3 days.
Rock up to your local and talk to other kiters what to check for when buying second hand equipment - unless you have a friend who is kiting and can come along with you.
Select to expand quotedrewpweiner said..
If you are a beginner and you just want to test out the waters, then buy a cheap kite... if you fall in love with it then that justifies you spending the extra dough... you don't want to be like the guy I saw yesterday with a 2015 cabrinha trying to do a noob launch and getting the thing completely ripped in the tree.
Just look on gumtree at least mate, come on.
Please DONT do this. Spend your money on getting quality lessons from a reputable school and get a few hours under your belt before you do anything. Then talk to your local shop & instructor and see what ex demo / good quality second hand equipment might be available and listen to their advice.
kite boarding is not an expensive sport compared to other water sports, but it's not a case of cheapest = best. The best thing about Oz is that there is so much great equipment available second hand on this site (not f...ing Gumtree) that you should be about to get kitted out with good equipment for a couple of grand.
If you expect to get a kite, board and everything else for under a thousand bucks then this is probably not the sport for you.
Would you parachute with the cheapest chute you could find ?
Select to expand quotedrewpweiner said..
If you are a beginner and you just want to test out the waters, then buy a cheap kite... if you fall in love with it then that justifies you spending the extra dough... you don't want to be like the guy I saw yesterday with a 2015 cabrinha trying to do a noob launch and getting the thing completely ripped in the tree.
Just look on gumtree at least mate, come on.
That is terrible advice 
Select to expand quotejamesperth said...drewpweiner said..
If you are a beginner and you just want to test out the waters, then buy a cheap kite... if you fall in love with it then that justifies you spending the extra dough... you don't want to be like the guy I saw yesterday with a 2015 cabrinha trying to do a noob launch and getting the thing completely ripped in the tree.
Just look on gumtree at least mate, come on.
Please DONT do this. Spend your money on getting quality lessons from a reputable school and get a few hours under your belt before you do anything. Then talk to your local shop & instructor and see what ex demo / good quality second hand equipment might be available and listen to their advice.
kite boarding is not an expensive sport compared to other water sports, but it's not a case of cheapest = best. The best thing about Oz is that there is so much great equipment available second hand on this site (not f...ing Gumtree) that you should be about to get kitted out with good equipment for a couple of grand.
If you expect to get a kite, board and everything else for under a thousand bucks then this is probably not the sport for you.
Would you parachute with the cheapest chute you could find ?
Mate you can easily get kitted out for under a grand. There's a tonne of good kites on seabreeze with bar and lines for around 500 - 600, boards for 300 and you can pick up a harness for 100 easy. If you have someone who knows what they're looking at you can EASILY get everything you need, good stuff too, for under a grand. Makes me laugh how people bag out kites that are 4 years old. I'd way rather learn on 2012 kite that's 4 years old than the brand new 2006 Airush flow I learnt on with the worst bar pressure and terrible relaunch, with the wrist strap. Today's beginner is spoilt for choice of quality second hand gear and can get into the sport cheaply.
Select to expand quoteKit3kat said..
2007 gear? Jesus.
I would say since 2013/2014 there isn't that much difference anymore but comparing even a 2011 kite to a 2014 kite there is a HUGE difference. Do yourself the favour and don't buy an old kite.
Rly? Whats the SO BIG difference between same size 09 and 13 switchblade (8m)? Looks less twitchy and simmilar speed in the same wind. Dude who ride both even told me he has slight more power on 09'. Ah yes, he is flying his 2013 on "better" bar with 1x and classic IDS bar, same size. Only thing he said is, newer is a bit more refined. Less twitchy which he dislikes but thats personal preference anyway. It's about model of a kite and how big changes they made, not all kites generally.
Select to expand quotedrewpweiner said..
Don't listen to people who tell you you need the newest gear, I bought post 2007 gear and I am doing fine. (I had a 2008 cab and a 2010 airush) I look like everyone else on the water and I have a few extra grand in my pocket.
if you are almost 100kg you are gonna struggle on a 12m in around 15knt winds unless you are riding a surfboard. Go bigger, at least then you can some airs (I have only had about 10-15 sessions ever and am starting to do airs).
Come on Drew, about a month ago you posted on another thread about the 2:1 versus 1:1 bar pressure! Who are you trying to kid? That is one small example of the "trial & error" evolution of kites by manufacturers over time. Every year the advances in materials, technology and experience makes the kites stronger, more efficient, safer and easier to fly/relaunch. Bladders can now be pumped harder which helps keep your kite shape, safety systems are better. Just concerning kite size: in 2003 my "go to" kite was 12m, in 2010 it was 10m and now my 2017 kite is a 9m. All these were same brand (Cabrinha) and used in the same wind conditions. My weight has also not changed over that period at 62kg.
Note that replacement bladders and valves also become harder to find as the Years role on ....
Select to expand quoteGateman said..drewpweiner said..
Don't listen to people who tell you you need the newest gear, I bought post 2007 gear and I am doing fine. (I had a 2008 cab and a 2010 airush) I look like everyone else on the water and I have a few extra grand in my pocket.
if you are almost 100kg you are gonna struggle on a 12m in around 15knt winds unless you are riding a surfboard. Go bigger, at least then you can some airs (I have only had about 10-15 sessions ever and am starting to do airs).
Come on Drew, about a month ago you posted on another thread about the 2:1 versus 1:1 bar pressure! Who are you trying to kid? That is one small example of the "trial & error" evolution of kites by manufacturers over time. Every year the advances in materials, technology and experience makes the kites stronger, more efficient, safer and easier to fly/relaunch. Bladders can now be pumped harder which helps keep your kite shape, safety systems are better. Just concerning kite size: in 2003 my "go to" kite was 12m, in 2010 it was 10m and now my 2017 kite is a 9m. All these were same brand (Cabrinha) and used in the same wind conditions. My weight has also not changed over that period at 62kg.
Note that replacement bladders and valves also become harder to find as the Years role on ....
My point was more about how people just tend to splurge straight up before they have given it a good go to see if they like it. At least see if it is for you first, also as a beginner the chances of tree crashing or other damage is high depending on your area so it makes even more sense to buy a cheaper kite.
You are right about the bar tho, but I am flying a 2010 kite just fine atm with a 2014 bar, that 07 bar was fine it was just the depower amount that sucked arse, my 2014 bar has almost double the amount of depower.
